RFNRequest for Needs

EfficiencyOne

RFN 2017-0090Referenced to RFP 2018-0090

First Nations Home Energy Efficiency Pilot

RFN Issued Date: December 6, 2017

Deadline for RFN Response: January 4, 2018

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TABLE OF CONTENTSSECTION 1: RFN OVERVIEW.........................................................................................................................3

SECTION 2: NOTICE OF INFORMATION SESSION.........................................................................................4

SECTION 3: RFN INSTRUCTIONS...................................................................................................................6

SECTION 4: RFN RESPONSE FORM...............................................................................................................7

APPENDIX A: Draft Scope of Work.............................................................................................................16

APPENDIX B: Anticipated Procurement Schedule for the Eventual RFP....................................................21

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SECTION 1: RFN OVERVIEW EfficiencyOne, official Licensee of the Province of Nova Scotia, is an independent, non-profit organization and franchise holder of Efficiency Nova Scotia. Activities under this First Nations Home Energy Efficiency Pilot will occur publically under the “Efficiency Nova Scotia” name. However, contracts activities will be performed by EfficiencyOne, and as such this RFN references “EfficiencyOne”.

EfficiencyOne will be issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Delivery Agent services for its upcoming program, the First Nations Home Energy Efficiency Pilot. In preparation for the RFP, EfficiencyOne is issuing this Request for Needs (RFN) to obtain feedback from potential Vendors / Contractors with experience in providing the following services:

Home energy assessments; and Project management services for home energy efficiency upgrades.

A full draft Scope of Work is provided in the APPENDIX A of this RFN. Interested firms (e.g. Vendors / Contractors) are requested to review the draft Scope of Work and then answer the questions listed in Section 4 of the RFN Response Form.

PURPOSE OF THE RFNEfficiencyOne is interested in providing a comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date scope of work for Delivery Agent services for the First Nations Home Energy Efficiency Pilot. Therefore, the purpose of this RFN is to engage feedback from interested firms regarding EfficiencyOne’s scope of work for the project, in order for EfficiencyOne to include pertinent background information that enables proponents to prepare an accurate proposal.

HOW EFFICIENCYONE WILL USE RESPONSES FROM PARTICIPATING VENDORS / CONTRACTORSThe information obtained from this RFN will be used to develop the final Request for Proposal (RFP) for this project.

EfficiencyOne intends to answer applicable scope-related questions that are submitted by Vendors/ Contractors during this RFN process, within the final RFP. All questions and information requests pertaining to the pilot and Scope of Work will be listed in the final RFP, in addition to EfficiencyOne’s respective answers. Any questions/requests EfficiencyOne is unable to fulfill will be clearly indicated in the final RFP. The intent is to answer as many questions/requests as possible, in an effort to reduce uncertainty in the final RFP scope of work.

Responses to questions pertaining to the RFN process will be provided throughout the RFN question period, which ends on December 18, 2017 at 4:00 pm Atlantic Standard Time (AST).

EfficiencyOne intends to consider other scope-related recommendations that Vendors / Contractors submit for inclusion within the final RFP. The intent is to understand whether EfficiencyOne’s scope is reasonable and realistic; following which, appropriate adjustments can be made if needed. All consideration of scope-related recommendations will be determined at EfficiencyOne’s sole discretion. EfficiencyOne intends to establish a fair and transparent final RFP scope of work that does not unnecessarily exclude Vendors / Contractors from competing in the RFP stage.

A response to this RFN is NOT mandatory in order to participate in the future RFP.

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SECTION 2: NOTICE OF INFORMATION SESSIONEfficiencyOne will host an Information Session on:

Thursday December 14, 201710:00 am Atlantic Standard Time (AST)

Participation will occur via webinar & teleconference. The webinar & teleconference can be accessed as follows:

Audio Connection:Toll Free Access: (866) 886-0869Conference Code: 3409496772

WebEx Meeting:Meeting link: https://efficiencyns.webex.com/efficiencyns/j.php?MTID=mece1449009df0d8a2ea9e619e27be2fb Meeting number: 800 755 982 Meeting password: RFNmeeting

1 . Follow the “Meeting link” (provided above) and you should be directed to a screen similar to the one below. Fill in the applicable information and click the “Join” button when it turns green.

2 . Once you have selected the green “Join” button you will likely be directed to a screen like the one below. From this screen select “Run a temporary application” by double-clicking. Once you have done this an executable file will pop up at the bottom left of your screen (see red arrow below). Double click on this executable file.

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3 . The below image will pop up. When it does click on the “Run” button.

Note: Your screens may look different than the ones above depending on the web browser you are using (these screen shots were taken using Google Chrome), however the steps to join the meeting should be similar.

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SECTION 3: RFN INSTRUCTIONSSUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS Interested Vendors / Contractors should submit their RFN responses via email (in Word document format) to the Point of Contact listed below. RFN responses are required to follow the format and page limitations contained in Section 4. Please limit responses to the required page limits and formats specified for each question of Section 4. Submissions that do not adhere to these requirements will not be considered. Do not provide any additional or supplemental information (such as brochures, handouts, etc.).

Point Of ContactAll questions, inquires, or communications regarding this RFN must be directed to the Point of Contact listed below. No communications shall be directed to other personnel from EfficiencyOne.

Point of Contact: Procurement@efficiencyns.ca

GENERAL INFORMATIONEfficiencyOne does NOT plan to share the RFN responses submitted by Vendors / Contractors, nor make any responses public. However, Vendors / Contractors are discouraged from submitting trade secrets or confidential information. Information provided from Vendors/Contractors will be used to inform the Scope of Work. Questions pertaining to the pilot or Scope of Work will be listed in the RFP, but the name of the firm that submitted the question will not be listed.

EfficiencyOne takes no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of information supplied in this RFN and will not be responsible for costs incurred in responding to this RFN.

DUE DATE Time Table for Responses:

Issue Date of RFN December 6, 2017Information Session December 14, 2017 10:00 am ASTDeadline for Questions December 18, 2017 by 4:00 p.m. ASTSubmission Date January 4, 2018 by 4:00 p.m. AST

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SECTION 4: RFN RESPONSE FORMPlease respond to the questions in this section. You are encouraged to be open and candid in your responses.

1. Is the Scope (as drafted in APPENDIX A) realistic and achievable? If not, what changes you would recommend and why?

(Please indicate Yes/No to the questions listed below)

A The anticipated procurement schedule shown in APPENDIX A is reasonable. Yes / No

B The draft Scope of Work provided in APPENDIX A is clear for Vendors / Contractors to prepare an accurate proposal with minimal cost contingency. Yes / No

C The description of EfficiencyOne’s existing/current systems, documents, templates, and procedures is clear. Yes / No

D The roles and responsibilities of the selected Vendors / contractors are clear for the pilot project. Yes / No

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EfficiencyOne will likely interview the following individuals during the RFP Evaluation stage:

Energy Advisor Project Manager overseeing completion of upgrades (if different than

the Energy Advisor) Main point of contact re: Contract signing and negotiation

The intent is to interview the key personnel from each Vendors / Contractor project team that would be assigned to work with EfficiencyOne. Are the positions listed above the most critical project team roles?

Yes / No

If you answered “No” to any questions listed above, please provide justification and recommended alternatives. (2 pages maximum)

.

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2. What information should be included in the final Scope of Work to enable your firm to submit an accurate proposal (with minimal uncertainty and contingency included in the cost)? Please be as specific as possible. You are encouraged to provide a bullet point list of information requested. EfficiencyOne intends to fulfill as many of these requests as is possible. (2 Pages Maximum)

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3. Are there any requirements or aspects of the current Scope of Work that should be changed, adjusted, or revised? Please provide justification as appropriate. (1 Page maximum)

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4. Are there any requirements that should be added to the current scope of work? Please provide justification as appropriate. Note: EfficiencyOne is interested in adopting best practices. Are there other options,

alternatives, new practices/technologies, or innovative ideas that should be considered in the scope of work and subsequent RFP evaluation process?

Insert descriptive bullet points as needed (i.e. to mention specific aspects/functions/technologies/functionality EfficiencyOne wants to assess for their Scope of Work).

(1 Page maximum)

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5. Are there any requirements or aspects of the current scope of work that are too prescriptive, overly burdensome, or outside of industry norms? Provide justification as appropriate. (1 page maximum)

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6. In general, are there other requirements that you have seen from other related industry RFPs (similar programs) that unnecessarily resulted in an uneven playing field? Please only provide the situation; the organization name and exact details are not necessary. The purpose of this question is to help ensure EfficiencyOne does not unnecessarily limit the participation in this pilot. (1 page maximum)

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7. Are there specific items (internally) that EfficiencyOne can begin working on now to facilitate a more efficient transition/implementation once the project is awarded? Bullet point lists are encouraged. (1 page maximum)

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8. What is the best approach to evaluate cost/fee structures as a part of the proposal package? Please describe your company’s typical cost categories (e.g. energy assessments, project

management, project administration, etc.). Clearly indicate the payment structure for each cost category (i.e. lump sum, period/duration-based, unit costs, etc.)

What is the optimal payment structure that should be scoped/required based upon EfficiencyOne’s structure and operations? (2 page maximum)

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9. EfficiencyOne is evaluating each of the following SCOPE AREAS. EfficiencyOne currently intends to release a single RFP that encompasses ALL Scope Areas. Is this the optimal approach, or should certain SCOPE AREAS be broken into separate RFPs?

The deliverables of this pilot are as follows: Primary Deliverable: Energy assessments and project management of energy efficiency

upgrades. Secondary Deliverable: Providing training related to home energy assessments. Note:

Including this deliverable in the actual pilot program will be determined only once the RFP closes and evaluation of proposals is complete.

(1 page Maximum to provide justification)

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APPENDIX A: Draft Scope of WorkThis attachment provides a draft Scope of Work. EfficiencyOne intends to update this Scope of Work based upon feedback and questions received during the Request for Needs (RFN) stage. All updates will be incorporated into the final Request for Proposal (RFP), which has an anticipated release date of late January 2018.

DRAFT OF THE ANTICIPATED SCOPE OF WORK FOR THE

FIRST NATIONS HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY PILOT

Pilot OverviewThe First Nations Home Energy Efficiency Pilot is funded by the Province of Nova Scotia. The purpose of this pilot is the completion of significant energy efficiency upgrades to on-reserve, Band-owned homes, where the household is low income. This particular segment of homes is the focus of this pilot as these homes are currently ineligible for Efficiency Nova Scotia’s HomeWarming program, which is tailored specifically to low income Nova Scotians that own their home.

The pilot has a target of completing energy assessments and energy efficiency upgrades on 65 homes across all 13 First Nations communities, including the 29 satellite communities, throughout the province of Nova Scotia (the “Province”). These targets must be met, and all related documentation and reporting submitted, on or before February 28, 2019.

Prior to the completion of energy efficient upgrades, a home energy assessment will be conducted on each of the 65 homes in order to identify the opportunities for energy efficiency improvements. Following which, significant energy efficiency upgrades will be conducted, at no cost to the Band or participants living in the home.

Delivery Agent ServicesThe RFP will be issued for the purpose of selecting one or more Delivery Agents (DAs) that will manage and deliver various aspects of the First Nations Home Energy Efficiency Pilot on behalf of EfficiencyOne.

EfficiencyOne is seeking Vendors / Contractors to perform the Primary Deliverable with the option to provide the Secondary Deliverable for the First Nations Home Energy Efficiency Pilot program. These deliverables are as follows:

Primary Deliverable : Home energy assessments (using Natural Resources Canada’s EnerGuide Rating System, via licensed Service providers) and project management of energy efficiency upgrades.

Secondary Deliverable : Development and delivery of training related to home energy assessments.

The Primary Deliverable is a requirement. The Secondary Deliverable may be included in the scope of the First Nations Home Energy Efficiency Pilot provided that the final accepted pricing/budget allows.

Primary Deliverable – Energy Assessments and Project ManagementThe main responsibilities of the Delivery Agent include conducting home energy assessments and working with the First Nations communities to arrange and oversee approved upgrades, ensuring these

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upgrades are completed on time, and within budget. EfficiencyOne will remain the main point of contact for the participating First Nations communities.

Figure 1, below, outlines the anticipated number of homes to be completed in each participating community. These numbers may be subject to change.

Figure 1: Number of Homes to Receive Upgrades by Community

First Nation Community

Pilot Homes to Receive Upgrades

Acadia 3Annapolis Valley 3

Bear River 3Eskasoni 10Glooscap 3

Membertou 7Millbrook 7Paq'tnkek 4

Pictou Landing 4Potlotek 4

Sipekne'katik 7Wagmatcook 4

Waycobah 6Total 65

Note: These numbers may be subject to change.

Measure and Home EligibilityA variety of upgrades will be considered under this pilot. Upgrades may include draft proofing, insulation, space heating systems, appliances, water heating systems, in addition to other energy efficiency measures.

Selection of the eligible homes for participation in the pilot will be determined by each participating First Nation community and EfficiencyOne. This pilot program will include the following housing types: single detached, mobile/mini homes, duplex and row houses, and will include all heating types.

Contractors that Perform the UpgradesWhenever possible, preference for completing the energy efficiency upgrades will be given to First Nation-employed contractors or First Nation-preferred contractors. Additional contractors may be considered to complete the upgrades, as appropriate and may vary by community. The Delivery Agent, the First Nation Housing Department Representative and EfficiencyOne will come to agreement on the contractors that will be utilized / hired to complete the upgrades.

Please note that EfficiencyOne will not consider contractors that have shared ownership with the successful Delivery Agent, for the performance of any home energy upgrades under this pilot.

Delivery RegionsEfficiencyOne anticipates that one Delivery Agent will be selected for each region outlined in Figure 2. However, a Delivery Agent may be awarded both regions of the Province.

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Figure 2: Delivery Agent Regions

Region First Nation Community Estimated Participating Homes

Region 1

EskasoniMembertouPotlotekWagmatcookWaycobah (We’koqma’q)Paq'tnkekPictou Landing

10744644

Region 2

AcadiaAnnapolis ValleyBear RiverGlooscapMillbrookSipekne'katik

333377

TOTAL 65

Figure 3 indicates general locations for each community. Please note that some communities are not limited to the geographical areas on this map; this is for general demonstration purposes only.

Figure 3: Map of First Nations Communities in Nova Scotia

Source: https://novascotia.ca/abor/aboriginal-people/community-info/

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Figure 4, below, outlines the expected role of each party involved in the pilot.

Figure 4: Roles and Responsibilities Pilot

First Nation Representative

(Housing Manager)

First Nations Home

Occupants (Band

Members)

EfficiencyOne Staff

Contracted Delivery Agents

Housing Manager to contact each participating member household to explain the program and timelines Lead xContact home occupants and Housing Manager to set up appointments for Home Energy Assessment (HEA) x x LeadPerform HEAs in the participating member homes. HEA to include a thorough investigation of all energy uses in the home (scope is greater than traditional HEA). x LeadDuring HEA, ensure to do a through review of findings with Housing Dept and the home occupant(s). Provide education information about energy consumption. x LeadFor each home, draft a scope of work with comments on all potential upgrade options and send to ENS for initial review / approval of concept. Make updates as needed, to allow for ENS budget / guideline parameters. Scope of work should include a high-level estimate of anticipated costs.

Review upgrade options Lead

ENS to review upgrade options with the Housing Dept. Work with the Housing Dept to agree on the upgrades to be conducted. Make changes as necessary. Finalize upgrade list for the home (both ENS and the Housing Dept. approve).

Review upgrade options Lead

Include in discussion

Work with the Housing Dept. to obtain more precise quotes. First priority is to have qualified First Nation-employed contractors. Next priority is to work with First Nation-preferred contractors. Last option is to seek outside contractors, approved by the Housing Dept. Help with quotes LeadWork with the Housing Dept. to confirm that all contractors will plan to complete upgrades as per program guidelines. This will further help inform final quotes. Help with quotes LeadFinalize quotes for the initially approved upgrades for the home. Help with quotes LeadFinal approval of work, based on final quotes and commitment to meeting program guidelines. All approve All approve All approveHousing Dept. to establish agreement with contractors to complete the work Lead xWork with contractors, occupants and Housing Dept to schedule and perform all approved upgrades x x LeadMonitor the progress of upgrades and ensure that upgrades meet program guidelines x x LeadConfirm upgrades meet program guidelines x x LeadAll work that fails to meet guidelines, the DA will work with Housing Dept., who will then work with their selected contractors to ensure work is completed to guidelines x LeadUpon confirmation that upgrades meet guidelines, DA to have contractor to invoice ENS for completed work. It is anticipated that multiple visits will be necessary to ensure completion of work, and allowing contractors to be paid in a reasonable amount of time, following completion of work. LeadENS to pay for completed work that meets guidelines x Lead xComplete final HEA x x LeadFinal discussion with member household about upgrades other energy efficiency tips, house-as-as-system, etc. x x LeadProvide energy assessments results to ENS, and invoice ENS. x LeadFollow up with Housing Dept. re: final results x LeadMain point of contact for each First Nation community LeadProvide First Nation communities with information about other ENS initaitives. Work to maintain relationships and encourage the community to take advantage of other ENS efforts. Collaborate activities with ENS Business Development Manager. Lead

Final Home Energy

Assessments

Overall Management

Initial Home Energy

Assessments

Approving Upgrades

Completing the Upgrades

For further clarification in the table above:a. Lead = party with the primary responsibility to ensure the deliverable is met.b. “x” = party included in the activity, but not primarily responsible.

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EfficiencyOne intends to contract with only one party, regardless of the number of partners / subcontractors involved in a proponent’s bid. Therefore, each RFP proposal submission must identify the lead company that will be the primary contact and “Proponent”.

Secondary Deliverable – Training EfficiencyOne wishes to provide education and training opportunities to participating communities. The Delivery Agent may have a role in providing training related to home energy assessment protocols. There are three options upon which Proponents will be asked to indicate if they can provide training, and at what cost.

The following are three possible training opportunities:

I. Invite select community members (with permission of the home’s occupants and the First Nation community) to attend the home energy assessment. During the assessment, the energy advisor would explain the process and provide considerations when conducting the assessment. As part of the response to the RFP, proponents will be asked to detail the scope of training and the time allotted on a per house basis.

II. Work with select First Nation members from each community, and offer energy advisor-type training, but not achieving NRCan certification. Training could include, but is not limited to, modeling, blower door testing, performing energy assessments, building science and upgrade recommendations. Individual community members would be invited to attend more than one energy assessment, to further their knowledge. As part of the response to the RFP, proponents will be asked to detail the scope of training and the time allotted on a per house basis.

III. Work with First Nation members from across the province, and who have met training pre-requisites, to offer Natural Resources Canada EnerGuide Rating System certified energy advisor training. These First Nation members would participate in all home energy assessments in select communities identified in the contract. The goal would be to have some First Nation members achieve certified energy advisor designation (including successful completion of training and exams) by the end of the Pilot. As part of the response to the RFP, proponents will be asked to detail the number of First Nation members who would participate in this training.

In all cases above, EfficiencyOne will work with each First Nation community to determine a list of potential candidates that may wish to participate in the training. In the case of “c”, the Delivery Agent will have the opportunity to screen potential candidates to ensure they have the required pre-requisites for training.

Through the RFP, EfficiencyOne will also accept other possible training scenarios.

Note: The Primary Deliverable is a requirement of the First Nations Home Energy Efficiency Pilot scope of work. However, the Secondary Deliverable is an option EfficiencyOne would also like the option to provide and therefor may also be included in the scope of the First Nations Home Energy Efficiency Pilot provided that the final accepted pricing/budget allows.

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APPENDIX B: Anticipated Procurement Schedule for the Eventual RFP

TARGET PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE (Subject to Change) December 6 – release RFN January 4 – RFN closes Late January 2018 – Release RFP End of February 2018 – RFP closes March 2018 – Interviews with potential proponents April – Contracts signed May 1, 2018 –Home energy assessments begin

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